Hi
I was told by my onc that I would almost certainly stop menstruating during chemo and that my periods very likely wouldn’t come back afterwards. But I wonder what this means? When? I’m coing up to my third round of chemo (out of six) and have just started bleeding. I’m a bit worried as my tumour is very highly oestrogen positive…Have other people continued to have periods during chemo?
Jo
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Hi Jo
I had a mirena coil which i got out when dx. I have had 2 FEC and have continued to have had very heavy periods. Like you i ws told my periods would stop and at 42 they would be unlikely to return. Like you I’m a bit worried that they have continued and intend to discuss with onc at next appointment. I have read on this website of others having the ovaries surgically or medically shut down and that this effects the type of hormones you can be put on post chemo ( i think)
Others may have more info than me on this.
Take care
Lesley
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Dear Jo
I can only pass along my experience. After my 2nd chemo, I had a 2 week period and they have not returned since. I have now had 5, due my 6th on Friday this week. I am 47 though so it’s likely I’m entering menopause. If the sweats which are plaguing me are anything to go by I would say so!
Hope you find some answers
Cecelia. x
Hi Jo
I thought too that periods would stop through chemo - I’m 34. I had a period at the start of my 1st FEC & assumed it would be my last, however, I have just had a period which started a few days before my 4th FEC. My periods are therefore very irregular but still happening - quite heavy too.
I too am E+ & hoped that they would stop altogether. I am hoping thought that subsequent hormone treatment will help with that side of things but am going to ask my surgeon about ovarian ablation. My onc didn’t want to overplay the role of chemo in oestrogen production.
Good luck
Alison
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Hi
Thanks for your contributions Lesley, Cecelia and Alison. I wonder why oncs don’t recommend turning off ovaries before chemo? There must be a reason for this I imagine. I have my next chemo on Friday so I’ll ask about this. I’m also going to ask for ovarian removal after chemo. Hope all goes well with your next round chemo…
Jo
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I had my fourth round of chemo yesterday… and so far period and ovulation are still on. I have asked the doctor if the few sides effects I am having are a sign that the chemo is working less well… she said not at all. It is just good luck, to be happy that I am fine healthy and ok, and not to wonder further… anyway, later Tamoxifen will kick in…
That is so reassuring Lilith! Thanks.
Me too…I am 34 and i was told they would stop and they haven’t, Had a bigger gap after my 1st FEC, but after that they have just been normal and regular.
Hope your treatment is going OK.
Ali
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I’m 40 and I have PCOS so I didn’t get periods, well maybe once in a blue moon, but within a hour of each cycle of my chemo starting (NeoTango Pac & Gem) I started to bleed very very heavily and it would last for about 2 weeks, when I switched to EC I just got one heavy period half way through my 4 cycles but I’ve had nothing since. None of the docs were concerned about it at all.
Debbie
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Hi Jo,
I am 35 and started E-CMF chemo in May, I’m due to finish next week, hurrah!!! Anyway, my periods have continued throughout. Initially I had a bit of a gap so assumed they had stopped but then I had a period and have been regular as clockwork ever since! Got Tamoxifen coming up shortly though so I guess they’ll stop then.
Take care,
Kelly
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Hi Jo
I’m 42 (was 41 when diagnosed, hence JULIE41…but why I needed to mention that, I don’t know!) and was told my periods may stop, but there was a good chance they would come back as I’m “young” (??!). Anyway, chemo started 27th April, and my last period was 7th June (which lasted 2 and a half weeks). Nothing since, even though I finished chemo on 31st August.
Last time I saw my Oncologist she said a blood test had come back saying I had very low hormone levels - so there is a chance I could be menopausal after all. Not sure how I feel about that to be honest - hot flushes and all that. And having two hormonal daughters, I don’t think my OH could cope with it !!!
Don’t worry though, chemo does strange things to us all and we all react differently.
Good luck with the rest of your treatment
Lots of love
Julie xx
Hi Jo
I had the merena coil in before chemo started and have not “seen” for a very long time. Onc recons cause there has been no bleed that once I start tamoxifen the flushes may not be too severe !! But watch this space … Just finished chemo last week (I am 44).
Diane x
I am still bleeding - just had 4th chemo today and have been getting signs that period is about arriving - was looking forward to them stopping for a while - would have been 1 bonus of all this!!
Fiona
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Many thanks for all this…I’m not alone clearly! I’m really interested that my onc team seemed so certain that my periods would stop - clearly they don’t always stop. You are much younger than me Ali - I’m 45 though so maybe its cos i’m older that they seemed do sure…But like you Fiona, I was looking forward to not having to deal with them! Anyway, good that none of the doctors seem to think its a big deal either way. Diane, I do hope that you do indeed get blushes rather flushes! Julie, perhaps you’ll also get lucky. Debcat, hope your treatment is going well. Kelly, does Tamoxifen stop periods? I didn’t know that.
All the best to all of you. Sleep well.
Jo
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Hi Jo, I never had regular periods - i mean anything from 4-12 week intervals then I went on FEC at the age of 34 and hey presto regular as clockwork every 28 days for the first time in my life!! Like you Jo I was worried about hormones so had Zoladex after rads to put me in a temporary menopause and when my onc saw that I was dealing with that fine then had ovaries removed and put on exemastane. Didn’t have a period once put on Zoladex - one good side effect from all this treatment!!
Take care
Sarah x x x
Well there’s a turn up for the books Sarah! You must have been so suprised when your periods began showing up on on time…I’m going to discuss with my onc having my ovaries removed after rads. At the moment my strong instinct is that it is the right thing for me. Are you happy with the decision you took? Jo
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I’m 44, been on the pill on and off for years, partly to ease my heavy periods. I was advised to stop taking them when I was diagnosed in July, since then I had one period just before I started neo-tango EC i Aug, and recently started again just before my 3rd cycle, and it has been very heavy and painful, something I could do without right now on top of the usual nausea!! I was quite hoping they would stop, but this seems to be quite common. I’ll be asking my onc next time I’m in.
Shannon
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Hi Shannon
from the posts here it does seem that the oncs seem just to assume that periods will stop and in fact for many of us this doesn’t happen…do let us know what your onc says. I have my next chemo tomorrow (last FEC - great - and then 3 taxotere - terrifying…) and will mention it too.
Hope all is well with you.
Jo
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Hiya,
My periods stopped in May two months before my BC diagnosis and hacen’t come back. Only 41 and onc checked that I wasn’t post menopausal already but blood results normal. Wierd!
Allie
Hi Jo,
Tamoxifen often causes periods to stop however since mine have remained throughout chemo they are certain it prob won’t stop mine. Thing is they need to stop while I’m on Tamoxifen so said they will give me Zoladex if needs be. Because of my age the powers that be are also convinced that my periods will return soon as I stop the Tamoxifen after 5 years. Blimey I hope so as we haven’t started a family yet. Fingers and toes crossed!!! It was on our ‘to do’ list then blooming bc went and got in the way!!!
Take care,
Kelly
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